The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-05-12

| one OF he best and the very best vOluntee
regiments of cavalry that he had eve
seen. AS evidence that this was not a
ldle c''hpllment, in the great cavalry re
View which two years afterwards Occurre,
near Cnlpepper c. H., Virginia, as tn
head OF the column approached the stan,
| of the reviewing officer, Gen. Stuart, turn
| ing to our great commander Lee and point
| ing with pride to the regiment, said
General. there comes the First Norti
Carolina Cavalry than which there is no
better regime Mt in either army"
In the Spring of 1862, upon the promo
ton Of Col. Ransom to be Brig. Genera
and 1t. Col. l.. S. Baker to be full colonel
Gen. Gordon was made Lieutenant COlone
of the regiment. That Gordon led wa.
enough for every man to be willing tt
follow. With confidence in his discretion
| they knew that only in the performance
of duty would they encounter danger anC
from that, thank God, they never shrank
In the Spring of 1868, he was promoted
to the coionelcy of the 2nd cavalry, which
regiment he commanded until on the It !
day Of Sept. 1868, he was commissioned
by the President brigadier general and
assigned by Gen. Lee to the command OF
the n. G cavalry brigade composed OF
the 1st ed, Sd and 9th North Carolina
lex lLltll . OI cdNdlfy.
In the latter part of the winter of e.
and ga Gen. Gordol made his last visit
home and those who saw him then-his
relatives and friends, with whom he was
most intimate, noticed and will remember
that there was an unwon,ed expression of
sadness that would come into his face and
that his conversation was mingled with a
gravity and SERIOUSNESS, which, in the
natural JOY OF reunion with them, he
yalniy endeavored to throw off
Gen. Gordon remained at home but a
short time on this his last visit. On ar
riving in Richmond, Gen. Gordan, in com
pany with one or two friends and brother
officers, called Oh the President and uueX-
pectedly met Gen. r. E. Lee. The result
OF the conversation WAS that decisive
movement on the part of the enemy. open
ing the campaign, was imminent at any
time. This worked II most important
change i'll the plans of Gen. Gordon that
We're personal to himself, he had ar
ranged in a very short time to be married
to oiie Of the fairesT and best of Virginia 5
lovely daughters, bat yielding to the call
OF duty, he laid aside his own happines,
and went directly to the front to take his
command well in hand LeIoto ;iie coming
conflict. In IA very short time commenced
lie memorable campaign of 1861, and
Gordon's outposts were the iirst to meet
the enemy Il, they crossed the Rapidan
near the Wilderness. :
During this this tiiue ouI brigadns and
illusions Were necessarily somewhat cia-
ratct and, on the evening Of The 18Th Of
May, stuart and t'LtZ Lee were h;ot tI,ng
with LomaNs, Gordon's and Wicknam's 5
brlgtdes To intercept the enemy III their
march toward Richmond, leaving Gordon :
brigade to follow the rear OF the enemy.
He moved toward Hanover junction and
thence to Yellow Tavern. Gordon having
"A spirited engagement, iii which he drove
The enemy ut Ground Squirrel church on
the llth and attacked Sheridan on the
Brook road near Brook church, almost IN
the suburbs of Richmond, on the morning
OF the l2th. Stuart had fallen hate on the
evening before, at fellow Tavern, whilst
lighting like a lion against the terrible odds
OF Siierluan's overw heimlng numbers. pre-
ferring, as he said himself during the en-
gagement, Ito die rather than let him
pass. Between Stuart aud Gordon there
always existed the warmeSt sympathy and
friendship. Stuart admired the gallant
civilian for the soIdierly qualities he poss-
e>sed. and Gordon loved Stuart as "A bold
dashing, brave leader.
During he euiir, engagement at Brook
church, on tie neXt day after Stuart fell
Gordon sustained the heaviest pressure
the enemy knew that Richmond was almost
Ill their gasp and Gordon knew that If
they succeeded IN passing over hlm that
the city would be captured, and resolved
us Stuart had done the day previous. ''to
rather die than let him pass" ieadroitly
kept his little command SO DISPOSED as to
completely deceive the enemy with regard
to his real strength. or We would have been
overwhelmed by superior numbers and
Richmond would have fallen. In the hot
test OF the fight, though his command was
dlsmounted except that portion hold in
reserve, he remained mounted and upon
the front line and when urged to dismount
by one Of his officers that he might be less
exposed hc replied, "No, We must set the
men an example of gallantry TO day" ;"
This was a short time before his wound,
which occurred just before We were re-
lieved by our Infantry, late i'll the even
ing. Ills wound was by a mimic ball!
which struci, nm in the arm, ranging out
at the lbOw, and at first was not thought
mortal, but he lived only a few days, dy
ing at the officers hospital in Richmond,
on the 18th Of May, 1864.
His remains were carried home and in
TERED at the Episcopal church, in Wilks
boro. where he awaits the summons of the
final reveilie. His death filled the entire
command with grief and CONSERVATION,
and though the brigade sustained its repu-
tation to the last. yet it never recovered
from his loss. We fought afterwards like
well trained machines. but the esprit du
corps was gone and the croaking of the
raven became louder.
>.>
IN MEMORY OF MY BROTHER